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Boys with Rubber Bands

Danny Lyon

Artwork Details

Boys with Rubber Bands
1965; printed 2010
Danny Lyon
gelatin silver print on paper
14 in x 11 in (35.56 cm x 27.94 cm)
Gift of Thomas Wilson '79 and Jill Garling '80
2013/2.334

Description

Subject Matter:

The Uptown, Chicago series was taken in 1965, shortly before The Bikeriders. Lyon chose a single street, Clifton Street, and photographed recent migrants from Appalachia. Lyon commented that most license plates on the streets were from Kentucky and Tennessee, and the area was referred to as “hillbilly heaven.” Wishing to draw awareness to subjects that were rarely seen, he gave people in the neighborhood dollars to pose for pictures. After photographing, he often returned to give his subjects small prints, usually Rolleiflex contact prints.

Physical Description:

A parked car sits in the middle ground, a multi-story brick building in the background. In the foreground, two boys stand with rubber bands on their hands. The first boy's arm is visible and covers the second boy's head. 

Usage Rights:

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